Favorite Albums of 2024

Hey everyone, and welcome, today, we will be talking about some of my favorite albums of 2024. Albums are great to hear what sound an artist was going for, and sometimes you can see how the songs connect, whether that be the sound or the lyrics. I think it’s important to always listen to an album straight through without shuffling as the artist intended as the first go around. So, without further ado, let’s get right into it.

There are so many albums that came out this year that I loved and unfortunately can’t add them all. Here are my honorable mentions: In Search of the Antidote by Fletcher, Found Heaven by Conan Gray, The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift, Vertigo by Griff, Persona by Half Alive, The Sun Comes Up by Louis the Child, and Xotic by Vita.

Boy is a very self-reflective album by Luke Hemmings. It’s a short one and the songs are very chill. Luke Hemmings is in the band 5 Seconds of Summer, and he released his solo debut, When Facing the Things We Turn Away From, in 2021, which let him explore his sound and with this album, we get more of that while he sings about growing older and being away from the people he loves and how difficult that can be. I really like his voice and feel like more people should be listening to his music because it’s some great stuff. The album is very melancholy and I love seeing how his voice and writing have grown and improved. This was the perfect album for me to listen to when I was driving or just at home relaxing. I’m Still Your Boy is one of my faves, but if there was one that really stood out, it would be Benny, which, Fun Fact, is named after his brother.

Cowboy Carter time to strike a match and light up this juke joint and that’s exactly what Beyonce did. There was a time I was into country music briefly and it’s been a while since I’ve listened to country and then Beyonce released this album which at first was hard for me to get into because I don’t really like country that much, but by the end of the year, this was my most played album of the year. The album is structured so that you play the songs in chronological order because each song segues into the next. I feel like a lot of Cowboy Carter highlights Black people’s role in country music and pays tribute to some of the pioneers who didn’t have it easy jumping into this genre. Even with all the success Beyonce has, she had issues coming into the country space, with her lead single originally not being labeled country and some country stations refusing to play it. One thing I have come to love and appreciate about Beyonce is that I feel that she is intentional in her music and how it’s released, and she is not chasing chart success but trying to make an impact in the world through music. With Cowboy Carter, she introduces us to a black country singer whom many never knew by the name of Linda Martell, she had other country legends like Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson, established stars who dabbled in country like Post Malone and Miley Cyrus, and one of the most important thing to me was having Black country artists who are up and coming and having them on the album which boosted their careers because look at Shaboozey who now has the longest running number one after being introduced to many after her album. Beyonce shined a light on how hard it is for black country singers with this album, and I feel like everyone got to see the microaggressions that many black artists feel in that space. In many of the songs, she makes it known that black people are the forefathers of country music, and you can deny it all you want, but history can’t be erased. It amazes me how there is no one living that is on the same level as Beyonce and how, with every album, she delivers something great even if she doesn’t release any visuals. It’s so hard to pick a favorite because Ameriican Requiem, II Most Wanted, Ya Ya, 16 Carriages, Tyrant, and II Hands II Heaven were some of my faves, but I think Yaya is the one that will go down as my fave from this record.

I had the privilege of going to the listening party event for Hit Me Hard and Soft by Billie Eilish and I must say, if there is one way you should listen to an album for the first time it would be this way. I feel like the album title is perfect some of the songs come in and hit you with lots of energy and some are more soft and relaxed. Her voice often feels very soft which I love about Billie because it seems like a unique singing style and I love the way she and Finneas write these songs that you will fall in love with but also may have you reflecting on your life and the journey that you’ve been on. There are a few songs like The Greatest, Chihiro, and Wildflower for example, that build as the song goes on, and by the end of the song, I feel like I’m spiritually on another plane and I just love when music can just transport you. I think Billie has continued to shock me with her artistry because of the way she not only sings the songs but also layering her voice in the background and makes these songs you want to scream. Birds of a Feather, Chihiro, Wildflower, and The Greatest have been my faves but if there was one that was my favorite on this album it would be Wildflower.

I had been waiting for Ariana Grande’s return, and she really didn’t disappoint with Eternal Sunshine. I am going to be honest Yes, And? was not my favorite, and let me be clear: I’m not saying I didn’t like it I’m just saying for the lead single, it wasn’t my ideal choice, but I loved the message in the lyrics. The album seems to address Ariana’s marriage falling apart and how she’s dealing with that. Some of the songs have these beats that will make you feel like bobbing your head and dancing, and then you listen to the lyrics, and you’re like, oh, this is kind of sad. The album feels like a diary, and we just see what she has been through and what she has overcome. Eternal Sunshine is named after the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which deals with trying to erase memories of a former lover and explores the intricacies of the relationship, which can definitely be heard from the lyrics, and she mirrors that in the we can’t be friends video. People say she sounds clearer and annunciates better on this album, and I say Ari has always sounded clear to me, and she has a way of always keeping me invested and excited about her music. When I first listened to the album Bye, Don’t Wanna Break Up Again, and Supernatural stood out to me, and then The Boy Is Mine and Eternal Sunshine started to fight for my favorite song spot. The fight was great, but then Ariana decided to release the Supernatural remix with Troye Sivan, and my world was changed for good, so that is hands down my favorite song on this album. The song is short, but they work so well together, and I just fell in love with it and I am secretly hoping for a music video. One thing that’s for sure is that this album probably has the most played interlude I’ve ever played because I just love it when she says Saturn comes along and hits you over the head and says wake up!

Wicked might be sort of cheating because I have heard all the songs before, but i haven’t heard these artists sing the songs, so it’s different. The soundtrack goes so well with the movie and play, and I really just loved how they showcase some vocal power. As I was listening to the songs, I realized a lot of them are foreshadowing events that happen later in the film, and the lyrics are filled with so many easter eggs. I’m so glad this musical adaptation soundtrack and film were so good, and I feel like the artist made the songs their own. Choosing a favorite is actually really easy for me, Defying Gravity it’s such a climactic song and the perfect way to end the movie.

When I listened to Short and Sweet, I was like, how have I not listened to Sabrina Carpenter before? But then I did some digging through my library and realized I had listened to her a couple of years ago, and her sound was so different. The album is short and so much fun, and I feel while listening that Sabrina was having fun while making it. Espresso was a bop from the first time I heard it, and then going through the album, I heard more that was just wonderful. There’s definitely country and R&B influence that can be heard, and I felt across the board, the lyrics show this confidence in what she wants and how she wants a partner to behave, and I loved that because after going through experiences, sometimes your like I don’t like that or I do like that or maybe you’re just like wow I’m the prize and you actually suck and now I’m doing better without you. Sabrina has grown on me a lot over the year, and I’m looking forward to what’s next. If I had to choose a favorite, I think it would be the scandalous Bed Chem because that song is a bop.

I chose the Brat remix album, Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat, by Charli XCX because it’s filled with the original songs and new ones. I loved this because there are songs on the original album I love, some on the remix I love, and there are some that I love both on the remix and original. The remixed songs either sound different or use different lyrics, and it truly feels like remixed songs because of how they made a new song but kept parts from the old song as well. I feel like Charli has this party girl aesthetic for Brat, but in some of the songs, the lyrics are deeply personal and I love the duality of being able to be that party girl and either shifting to more serious songs or just having this party beat while singing about something serious. Charli is someone whom I have listened to for a while, and I love how, especially with this album, she does her own thing, which seems like she trusts herself, and I love that she puts out this music that feels like her and no one else. If I had to choose a song that is my fave, it would be the Talk Talk remix with Troye Sivan, but I have to say that 360 is also a banger.

There were so many great albums released this year, and if you ever feel like there isn’t enough, expand your search, find new artists, and revisit old artists because there is something out there for everyone. Thank you for watching my video, as always. I would love to hear some of your favorite Albums from 2024 in the comments. Please don’t forget to subscribe. But besides that, everyone stay safe, have fun, and hopefully, 2025 brings you all you want goodbye!